Representatives from a giant for-profit health care corporation and the county-owned hospital expanded their affiliation pitches and answered audience questions during the first of two planned town hall meetings at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital on Wednesday night.

HCA Healthcare representative Dr. Paul Dupree, CEO of Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, and Natividad Medical Center CEO Harry Weis argued on behalf of vastly different visions for the future of Salinas Valley Memorial during hourlong presentations before a crowded hospital board room.

And, members of the public who attended the forum also got a chance to submit written questions for the pair to answer.

Dupree made HCA's access to capital and vast resources the focus of his presentation, pointing out that the multibillion?dollar Nashville, Tenn., corporation had invested hundreds of millions in both Good Samaritan and Regional Medical Center of San Jose after purchasing those hospitals in the late 1990s. Purchase of Salinas Valley Memorial by such a well?heeled conglomerate would be the best way to respond to the demands of a rapidly changing health care industry, he argued.

"We have the capacity to deal with the big issues in health care," Dupree promised.

Weis focused his presentation on the benefits of joining the two public hospitals' strengths under a new public health care authority worth an estimated $450 million, which he predicted could produce as much as $553 million in increased revenue and cost savings over the next 10 years. All of that value would remain under local control for local benefit rather than being transferred to a "distant" entity, he pointed out.

"This can be a world-class health care system," Weis said. "This is a lifetime commitment."

Under questioning from the audience, both acknowledged there remained a lot more studying to be done of the implications of an affiliation with Salinas Valley Memorial, which is considering potential partnerships in an effort to improve the public district hospital's bottom line.

They each also answered a number of questions ranging from potential staffing and program changes to the possibility of closing the hospital in the future.

While both suggested staffing would remain largely the same, they acknowledged specific programs would need to be evaluated. Both assured the audience they had no intention of closing the hospital after investing time and money in pursuing an affiliation.

The second of two town hall meetings will be held June 7 at the hospital, and Cain Brothers consultant Jim Moloney said that session will be devoted mostly to the potential risks and benefits for Salinas Valley Memorial of affiliation or remaining a standalone system.

Under a proposed timeline, the organizations would submit letters of intent by next month and a final agreement would be reached by the end of July, with a public vote to follow this fall.